Mixer



Oct. 6, 1936 o. J. MOUSSETTE. SR

MIXER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 5, 1935 Oct. 6, 1936. o. J. MOUSSETTE, 51% 2,056,582

MIXER L Filed Sept. 5. 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIW' IHM I awn/M901 0- J Momsezze, Jr.

9 i o. J. MOUISSETTE, sR 2,056,582

MIXER Filed Sept. 3, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary mixersof that general class shown and described in United States Letters Patent, No. 1,091,752, issued to me on the 31st day of March, 1914, the present invention being an improvement thereon.

The object of the invention is generally to improve and simplify the construction of the mixer whereby the cost of manufacture is decreased and the efficiency of the machine materially increased.

10 A further object of the invention is to secure the mixing blades to the inner wall of the drum so as to rotate therewith and to dispose said blades at an angle to the axis of rotation of said drum whereby a more thorough mixing of the 15 material is effected and the discharge of the material facilitated after the mixing operation.

A further object is to provide a worm gear drive for the mixing drum to prevent accidental turning movement of. said drum when in discharging 20 position and consequent possible injury to the operator.

A further object is to provide a novel form of closure for the filling and discharge opening of the mixing drum, said closure comprising a sta- 25 tionary inner disc and a rotary outer disc both having openings therein adapted to register with each other when the outer disc is rotated to permit the discharge v of the material, means being provided for limiting the rotary movement of the 30 outer disc. I 1

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following specification in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of. the drawings.

35 Figure 1 is an end elevation of a rotary mixer embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view 40 of the filling and discharge opening and adjacent parts of the drum showing the construction of the elements forming the closure for said opening.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on 45 the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the closure shown in Figure 3. v j

The improved machine forming the subjectmatter of. the present invention while capable 50 of thoroughly mixing all kinds of dry materials, such as chicken feed, chemicals and the like, is principally designed for mixing the waste material from jewelry factories and similar establishments and known as factory sweeps. The ma- 5 chine comprises a base 5 which is preferably supported in elevated position on suitable uprights or standards 6 so as to permit the placement of a barrel or other container 1 beneath the machine, as best shownin Figure 1 of the drawings. The base 5 comprises similar end pieces 8 pro- 5 vided with spaced bearings 9 in which are journaled horizontal shafts Ill and H, one of. the shafts, namely the shaft Ill, constituting the drive shaft. Secured to the Shafts l0 and II are flanged rollers l2 which serve to receive and 10 support the mixing drum, indicated as a whole at l3. The mixing drum l3 comprises a cylindrical portion I4 and a conical or tapered portion l5 secured thereto by bolts or similar fastening devices IS. The cylindrical portion I4 of the drum is provided with a back plate ll andsecured to said, back plate, preferably by angle flanges 18, is a friction gear ring 59 which rests upon and is supported by the adjacent pair of flanged rollers l2. Secured to the conical or tapered portion I 5 is a similar friction gear ring 20 which rests on and is supported by the other pair of flanged rollers l2.

Arranged within the cylindrical portion M of the drum are spaced mixing; blades 2! preferably disposed at an angle to the horizontal axis of rotation of said drum so that the material taken up by the blades'during the mixing operation will be directed forwardly in contact with the tapered end of the drum and thence to the cylindrical portionof the drum where the material will again be taken up by the blades and thereby thoroughly mixed and agitated. The blades 2| are provided with angularly disposed attaching flanges 22 which are bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the inner-wall of the cylindrical portion ofthe drum, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1 of the drawings. The forward ends of the mixing bladesZl are inclined or tapered to conform to the inclination of the conical portion of the drum, asindicated at 23, and these tapered portions extend within the conical portion of the drum for a. short distance so as to insure uniform distribution of the material within the reduced end of said drum. The cylindrical portion I4 of the drum is provided with a fillingand discharge opening 24 and surrounding said opening and secured to and projecting laterally from the drum is a collar 25 provided with spaced ears 26 between which are pivotally mounted clamping bolts 21. The opening 24 is normally covered by a closure member consisting of relatively stationary and movable discs 28 and 29 having spaced openings 30 formed therein and adapted to register with each other to permit the discharge of the contents of the machine after the mixing of the material has been thoroughly effected. The inner or stationary disc 28 is provided with radiating slots 3| adapted to receive the adjacent ends of the clamping bolts 21, there being nuts 32 threaded on the ends of the bolts 21 and bearing against the inner disc at the slots therein for securely clamping the inner disc in position on the collar 25. The outer disc 29 is provided with a central opening 33 through which passes a bolt 34, the inner. end of which is threaded at 35 in the central portion of the inner disc 28, said bolt 34 forming the pivotal axis of the movable outer disc 29 so as to permit rotation of the outer disc relative to the inner disc. The outer disc 29 is provided with a laterally extending finger or lug 36 which engages spaced stop lugs 31 formed on the inner disc of the closure for the purpose of limiting the rotary movement of the outer disc, as best shown in Figure of the drawings.

It will here be noted that the mixing blades 2| terminate in spaced relation to the opposite sides of the opening 24 in the drum so that when the drum is rotated until the opening is directly above the barrel or container 1, the mixed material in the drum is free to flow directly into the barrel without interference or obstruction by the blades and this spacing of the blades on opposite sides of the opening 24 also materially facilitates cleaning of the interior of the drum when desired or necessary The head I! of the drum is preferably formed with a manhole or cleanout opening 38 normally covered by a cap plate 39 so that by removing the cap plate, access may be readily had to the interior of the drum to effect any necessary repairs thereto or to remove any material which may adhere to the blades or other part of the interior of the drum.

It very often happens that during the discharge of the material from the drum into a barrel or other receptacle, the drum has a tendency to rotate or partially rotate and this unintentional or accidental rotation of the drum often results in injury to the operator. In order to prevent injury to the operator from such cause, I provide a positive drive for the drum in the form of a worm gear 40 and a worm 4|. The worm gear 40 is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to one end of the drive shaft III, while the Worm 4| is mounted on a stub shaft 42 carrying spaced drive pulleys 43 which may be connected through the medium of belts or otherwise with a source of power. By employing a worm gear drive for the mixer, the drum may be stopped at any point in the revolution thereof and in which position it will remain stationary until power is again applied to the drive shaft. The worm and worm gear are preferably mounted in a suitable casing or housing 44 to prevent the entrance of dirt or other foreign matter which would tend to interfere with proper functioning of the machine.

In operation, the bolts 21 are released and the inner and outer discs 28 and 29 removed from the collar and the material to be mixed introduced within the drum through the opening 24 after which the discs comprising the closure plate are again positioned on the collar and fastened by the bolts 21. The outer disc 29 is then rotated so as to close the discharge openings 38 and said outer disc held in the closed position by tightening the screw 34. Power is then applied to the drive shaft which rotates the drum and causes the material therein to be taken up and elevated by the blades 2|. As the drum rotates the material will be acted upon by the blades and thoroughly agitated and mixed, and, owing to the inclination of the blades 2|, a portion of the material will be directed into the tapered or conical portion of the drum and thence directed forwardly in contact with the blades where the material will again be picked up and agitated, this operation being continued as long as the drum rotates. The substantially frusto-conical shape of the mixer causes a very thorough and uniform blending of the contents thereof and inasmuch as the contained material is given a r0- tary movement and also an axial movement from one end of the drum to the other, the entire mass is thoroughly agitated so that a single homogeneous mixture is produced. After the mixing or agitation of the material has been effected, the drum is rotated, or partially rotated, until the filling 24 is in alinement with the barrel or container 1 after which the screw 34 is loosened and the outer disc 29 rotated until the lug 36 engages the adjacent lug 31 and in which position the openings 30 in the inner and outer discs will register so as to permit the discharge of the material into the barrel. When all of the material has been discharged, the outer disc is rotated in the reverse direction until the finger 36 engages the other lug 31 and in which position the screw 34 is tightened so as to prevent the escape of material through the closure in subsequent mixing operations. During the discharge of the material from the mixer into the barrel or con tainer 1 any material which may have a tendency to remain within the container may be readily removed by the operator by reaching his hand through the openings 30 and gathering said material and, owing to the spaced relation of the blades 2| adjacent the opening 24, this cleaning operation is materially facilitated as there are no obstructions on the inner surface of the drum around or adjacent said filling opening. When it is desired to efiect a thorough cleaning of the interior of the drum, this may be accomplished by removing the plate 39 thus permitting ready access to the interior of the drum and its associated parts.

It will be noted that the worm gear 40 and the worm 4| are entirely housed Within and protected by the casing 44 and as the latter is filled or partially filled with oil all unnecessary wear on the gear is effectually eliminated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A mixing machine comprising a rotary drum having a cylindrical portion and an elongated unobstructed frusto-conical portion, mixing blades secured to the inner wall of the cylindrical portion of the drum and disposed at an angle to the axis of rotation of the drum, said blades terminating short of the outer end of the frusto-conical portion, there being a filling and discharge opening in the cylindrical portion of the drum between certain of the mixing blades, and means for rotating the drum.

2. A mixing machine comprising a rotary drum having a cylindrical portion and an elongated unobstructed tapered portion, mixing blades having angular attaching flanges rigidly secured to the inner wall of the cylindrical portion of the drum, said blades being disposed at an angle to the axis of rotation of the drum and having their outer ends conforming to and bearing against the tapered portion of said drum and terminating short of the outer end of said tapered portion, the cylindrical portion of the drum being provided with a filling and discharge opening disposed between certain of the blades, and a closure for the filling and discharge opening.

3. A mixing machine comprising spaced supports, a base resting on said supports and defining therebeneath a chamber for the reception of a container, spaced shafts journaled on the base and having flanged rollers mounted thereon, one of said shafts constituting a drive shaft, a drum mounted for rotation above the base and provided with friction gear rings contacting with the flanged rollers, said drum being provided with a cylindrical portion and an unobstructed frustoconical portion, mixing blades secured to the inner wall of the cylindrical portion of the drum and disposed at an angle to the axis of rotation of said drum and having their outer ends projecting within the frusto-conical portion and terminating short of the end of said frusto-conical portion, the cylindrical portion of said drum being provided with a filling and discharge opening disposed between certain of the mixing blades, means for closing said opening, and means operatively connected with the drive shaft for rotating the drum.

OLIVER. J. MOUSSETIE, SR. 

